Automatic block-signal system.



PATENTED OCT. e, 1903. A. e. WILSON. AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED F113. 1, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 N0 MODEL.

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'No. 740,505. v I PATENTED-OOT. 6,1903? A. G. WILSON I AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1.902..

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 N0 MODEL.

vention.

' UNITED STAT S PATENT Patented October 6, 1903;

OFFICE.

ASBURY e. WILSON, or WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL ANIA.

AUTOM'ATlC BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPEGIFIOATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,505, dated October 6, 1903.

Application filed February l, 1902. Serial No- 92163. (No. model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:.

Be it known that I, ASBURY G. WILSON, of W'ilkinsburg, in' the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Iinproveinentsi'n Block-Signal Systoms, of which the followingis a full, clear,f and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved system, showing it applied to'consecutiveblooks. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the slow-release relay which I employ, and Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of the same. Fig. 4 isa similarview illustrating the neutral polar relay which I employ, and Fig.5 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating my in- My invention relates to electrically-controlled block-signal systems the signals ofwhich may be operated by electric, electropneumatic, or electromechanical means.

In my system the road is divided into sections, each of which isprovided with electrically-controlled signal-operating devices, the signals being operated, preferably, on the normal safety system in which system the signals are held normally at safety by electrically controlled devicesfwhich are deenergized when a train enters the block, causing the signals to go to danger by gravity.

My devices comprise relays having neutral and polarized armatures, suitable polechangers in the track-circuits, each connected to the home signal of the next section'in advance, and slow-release relays having a release so slow as to prevent the momentary reversal of current in the neutral polar relay from changing the signal through the mo: mental-y release of the neutral armature thereof, and thus to provide mechanism which will hold the signal in a proper position.

A further object of the invention is to proride devices which will be simple and efiective in service and not'liable 'to become disarranged'or defective. f

In the drawings, A, B, and 0 represent track sections or blocks, each having home and distant signals H D, H' D, and H D",

respectively, and neutral polar relays aa a, having neutral and polarized armatures y y y" and z z 2", respectively. These relays through said armatures control the signalcircuits through contacts I; k k" and H Z, "respectively. Each section or block is pro- 5 vided with a track-battery b b b" and a polechanger c c 0",operated mechanically by the movement of the home signal of the next section in advance. A sigual-batterydd d in each section connected to the usual signaloperating mechanism operates the signals.

In order to prevent the home signals from being affected by the momentary breaking of the current, caused by release of the armature through change of polarity in the relays a a," a, I introduce slow-release relays e e 2'', connected by suitable conductors to the home signals H H H, the current being supplied from the signahbatteries d d d" to operate said signals. The contacts k ld'supply 70 current to the relays e e e through the neutral armature y and wire it and to the distaut signals D D D" through the neutral armature y, connector to, polarized armature z, and contact Z.

The pole-changers c c 0 reverse the direction of the current from the track-batteries b b b, and thereby change the polarity of the neutral polar relays a a at". These relays are relays having two armatures, One 80 neutral, y, and the other, 2, polarized, so that the former responds to currents in both directions and the latter to currents in but one direction. The slow-release relays which I employ are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, where- 8 in in addition to the usual winding I provide a secondary closed coil g. In Fig. 2 this coil is indicated as including both legs of the magnet in a single closed circuit. In Fig. 3 each leg of the magnet is provided with a 0 closed circuit g g. The closed secondary circuit gives a reaction when the magnet discharges and by mutual induction sets up an induced current in the secondary coil which retards the release of the armature The 5 release of the armature 71. may be still further retarded by a counterweight l or a spring so placed on the armature that the armature will be released very slowly, and as used in my system these relays prevent the signals being changed by the momentary interruption or breaking of the current at 7c 70 70', due to the movement of the pole-changers, the circuit to the signals H H H being made by the contacts fff at the time of this interruption.

I will now describe the operation of my invention: As the train approaches the section A Bin the direction of the arrow both the home and distant signals H and D will be in the oblique or safety position, the home signal H indicating that the section A Bis clear and the distant signal D indicating that the home signal H of the next succeeding section is also in the oblique or safety position, thus showing, that the section B O, as well as the section A B, is clear of traffic. As the train proceeds and enters the section A B the trackbattery I), which supplies current through the pole-changer o to the relay a, is shortcircuited through the wheels and axles of the train,and consequently very little, if any, current passes through the coils of the relay (1, and the neutral armature y drops away and opens contact at 7c, thus cutting off all current from the battery d to the home and distant signals Hand D, allowing them to rise to the hori zontal or danger position by gravity in the usual way. As the train approaches the section B O the signals H D are seen at safety and remain in this position. until the train passes on to the block, when they are brought to the danger position in the manner already described. When the rear of the train passes the point B, the current is again supplied by the track-battery b through the pole-changer c to the relay a, but in the opposite or reverse direction, for the reason that the polechanger c was moved and the current reversed by the signal H going to danger. The neutral armature y of the relay a is again drawn up and the contact 70 closed, thus enabling the signal-battery d to actuate the home signal H through the usual mechanism, the signal being thereby brought to the oblique or safety position. The pole-changer 0 having, as stated, assumed a new position and the current passing in a reverse direction, the contact Z is broken by the movement of the polarized armature z of the relay a, causing the distant signal D to remain in its danger position until this contact is again closed, as hereinafter described. When the train passes the point C, the signal H returns to the safety position in the same manner as described in the case of the signal H, and as the polarity of the relaya is again reversed by the movement of the signal H returning to safety position, owing to the fact that the pole-changer c is operated by the signal H, the polarized armature of the relay a, is again reversed in its movement and the contact Z closed, and the signal 1) is brought to a clear or oblique position. As

the signal H passes from the danger to the safety position the neutral armature y of the relay a is momentarily dropped and picked up again, owing to the reversal of the current caused by the shifting of the pole-changer, and if the signal H were operated by mechanism requiring a continuous flow of current to hold it in the safety position it is possible that when the contact is thus momentarily broken the signal H might assume the danger position; but I obviate this by employing the slow-release relays e e e", which momentarily supply the necessary current through the contacts fff.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled in the art and fa miliar with the requirements for the successful operation of block-signal systems.

The devices I employ are simple and effective and are not liable to get out of order or to become unreliable by reason of complicated parts. By using a slow-release relay having primary coils and closed secondary coils no back contact is required on the relay controlling it, and therefore the liability of such contacts to become unreliable when in use is eliminated.

Changes in the form and arrangement of the several parts may be made by the skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim 1. In a block-signal system, comprising a plurality of track-sections insulated from each other, a-signal device for each section, mechanism for operating the same, a neutral polar relay in circuit with each insulated track-section, a source of electrical supply therefor, a circuit-closer controlled by said neutral polar relay, signal mechanism operated thereby, said circuit-closer comprising a secondary coil forming a closed circuit, so as to cause a slow release of the circuit-closer.

2. In a block-signal system comprising a plurality of track-sections insulated from each other, signal devices for each section and mechanism for operating the same, a neutral polar relay for each signal-station, a track-circuit for said relay, and a signalmechanism-ope rating circuit controlled by two circuit-closers consisting of said neutral polar relay and a relay having a secondary coil forming a closed circuit so as to give a slow release to the circuit-closer controlled by said relay. 7

3. In a block-signal system comprising a plurality of track-sections insulated from each other, signal devices-for each section and mechanism for operating the same, a track-circuit for each section, a neutral polar relay in said track-circuit, a pole-changer in said circuit connected to the signal mechanism of the next succeeding section, a signaloperating circuit controlled by said neutral polar relay and arranged to be broken when the electromagnets of said relay are denersignal-operating circuit controlled by said neutral polar relay and arranged to be broken when the electromagnets of said relay are deenergized, a second relay in said signal-operating circuit, anda counterweighted armature operated by said second relay, said second relay having a secondary winding forming a closed circuit said circuit giving a slow release to said counterweighted armature.

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ASBURY G. WILSON. Witnesses: A. M. STEEN,

W; F. STEWART. 

